Shawna Dawson and Sonja Rasula not only share the same birthday, they both love street food. “Our goal when we started the L.A. Street Food Fest was not only to fill a gap in the local foodie and events scene with a delicious good time, but to create community and a platform to support independent small business owners.” There mission doesn’t stop there: “For that reason, all of our events aim to do much more than just entertain. Each event benefits at least one local charity and we host mandatory meetings for our vendors that cover everything from the basics of food handling to marketing skills, including how to create sustainable business models.”

This event sells out every year, so even though we are two and a half months away, you’d best purchase your tickets now if you’re up for a full day of tasting, drinking, and dancing.

“Total Carnage” (2010) by QueequegMB/Flikr

Food and drink inside the event are included in the price of the ticket, and it’s all you can eat (and drink). Twenty-one and older wristbands are required for the beer gardens, Tequila Tent, and the cocktail bars. “Stretchy pants are highly recommended.”